Christian Character and Good Arguments

[HammerStone]

http://www.whitehorseinn.org/blog/2012/09/08/christian-character-and-good-arguments/

This article probably says what I've been trying to say better than I could say it.

It’s not just what we say, but how we say it, that matters. Peter reminds us to be “always prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Pet 3:15-16). We have to be ready with arguments and reasons, but we have to give thought also to how we present them.

I'm guilty on this one, but I see a TON of it here at CyB:

Closely related to these fallacies is the all too familiar slippery slope argument. “Barth’s doctrine of revelation leads to atheism” or “Arminianism leads to Pelagianism” or “Calvinism leads to fatalism” would be examples. Even if one’s conclusion is correct, the argument has to be made, not merely asserted. The fact is, we often miss crucial moves that people make that are perfectly consistent with their thinking and do not lead to the extreme conclusions we attribute to them—not to mention the inconsistencies that all of us indulge. Honesty requires that you engage the positions that peopleactually hold, not conclusions you think they should hold if they are consistent.

All in all, taking the considerations of this article to heart will make you not only a better poster, but a better Christian. We don't understand just how detrimental our methods of argument are to winning the lost or even winning our brothers and sisters further into the faith.

 

[Episkopos]

Good points to ponder and consider. Speak the truth...in love!

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

Good points Hammerstone.

Another important think we have to realize is that Christians make a lot of mistakes when reading and interpreting the bible.

The early church kept the scriptures chained to the pulpit .... often in order to keep it out of the hands of the peasants.

We have come a long ways since then .... but sometimes we still act like peasants who automatically think we are scholars or something.

Most of the nonsense in Christianity comes from the minds of peasants wrongly interpreting the bible.

Remember the bible says .... not all are scholars ..... not all are teachers .... etc.

Even the good and true scholars sometimes have a hard time agreeing on everything ...... and they admit it.

We also should admit that the peasant is wrong sometimes. When i was a new christian I thought I knew everything. 27 years later I have come to the realization of how little we actually know.

If anyone does not beleive me , fine , then get 100 christians together on one topic .... and see how many versions you get ..... usually at least 75 or so.

Or just read some of the threads on this forum ...

Your ever loving peasant freind
Arnie M

 

[aspen]

Good thoughts and comments.

 

[us2are1]

Good points to ponder and consider. Speak the truth...in love!

Sometimes love is not the answer. Or at least it may not seem like it to the recipient.

33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

 

[aspen]

Love is always the answer.

 

[us2are1]

Love is always the answer.

It is indeed. But love is not always apparent in the answer.

33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?
23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

 

[Axehead]

Sometimes love is not the answer. Or at least it may not seem like it to the recipient.

33 Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?

23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

True, Son of Man. Love does not say be "warmed and fed", and then just walk on and neither does it say "you are a good person" when you are putting burdens on other's backs that you won't carry yourself.

Love is real and not pretentious. Love does not look for honor from men but from God. This is the character of Jesus.

Jesus was a completely "whole" person who was not looking for significance from His fellow man. He did not need them to validate Him. He received all He needed from His Father. Because of that and the fact that He neither feared man or the devil and was not a debtor to man, He could and did speak the truth with pure motives. We can do the same thing. When we love ourselves with a selfish love, we won't speak the truth to others. Our motives will not be pure. Jesus actually loved the Pharisees and you and me enough to tell us like it is. Many have rejected His love and walked away.

John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
John 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Jesus did not say "will ye also go away" in a worried, fretting state of mind. Our Lord is not an "Enabler" or a "Co-dependent" with us in our sins. He does not "make us feel good" so that we stay with Him and so He "feels better".

For a Holy God to dwell with selfish man, He did not choose to come down to our level and be selfish with us, but rather to bring us to a place where we can walk with Him in holiness and purity that we may have fellowship with Him. Of course, He comes to us in whatever condition we are in, but then He is not content to leave us there. And thank God for that!

The Character of Jesus Christ is to be formed in His children (those who have received the Son). This is a WALK - signifying greater and greater progression. From faith to faith and glory to glory.

Gal_4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,


May we all walk as Jesus walked, fearing neither man nor devil and looking for the honor that comes from God rather than men.

Axehead

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

All in all, taking the considerations of this article to heart will make you not only a better poster, but a better Christian. We don't understand just how detrimental our methods of argument are to winning the lost or even winning our brothers and sisters further into the faith.

I agree with all you said ..... but wanted to point out something maybe we miss .... it is how poorly keypad communications portray how we really feel ...... we may have the kindest thought in our hearts yet thru the written word by keypad it comes across the opposite.

We discovered that on an aviation forum I have belonged to for many years .... on some topics (like accident investigations and safety) .... the sparks would literally fly back and forth .... but the next time a large group of us met in person there was never a bad feeling between anyone.

We could argue a point person to person while being great friends ..... somehow that does not transmit through a keypad on a computer.

It would probably be the same if all us forum members got together .... (hey - wouldn't that be cool)

Our skin needs to be a bit thicker on forums sometimes. Wish there was a better way. Remember you** will all be together in Heaven some day for that face to face meeting..

** I hope I am there too
I will be at the head of the line asking for keypad forgiveness

 

[justaname]

Thank you HammerStone.